Musical instrument



Aug. 22, 1944. D. ZACCAGNINO MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Filed Aug. 11, 1943 1 112 ii F'ims.5-

INVENTOR. mmzhmm,

Patented Aug. 22, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to musical instruments and refers particularly toan amplifying system for accordions.

Accordions are comparatively heavy instruments which are supported bystraps from the shoulders of the players, and which require considerablephysical force for their manipulation. It was found that players lackingsuch physical force became easily exhausted when playing the instrument,or were obliged to play light instruments having a comparatively poorton.

An object or the present invention is the provision of an amplifyingsystem for accordions which makes it possible for the player or hisassistant to vary at will the volume and tone of the sounds emanatingfrom the accordion.

Another object is the provision of an accordion having an amplifyingsystem by means of which the tone and volume of sounds of the accordioncan be quickly and easily varied.

A further object is to provide comparatively inexpensive lightaccordions with a sound amplifying device, by means of which the volumeand tone of such accordions may be amplified at will.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent in thecourse of the following specification:

In accomplishing the objects of the present invention, it was founddesirable to provide two elongated microphones and to place them withinthe accordions close to the base and treble sides thereof. The twomicrophones are connected to each other by a conducting wire, the coilsof which are preferably located in the folds of the accordion. One ofthe microphones is connected with an amplifier control unit and loudspeaker, which are located outside of the accordion. The accordion maycarry knobs which may be conveniently operated by the player, which areconnected to the microphones for varying volume and tone.

The invention will appear more clear from the following detaileddescription, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing,showing by way 01' example a preferred embodiment of the inventive idea.

In the drawing:

Figure 1- is a front view of an accordion provided with built-inmicrophones.

Figure 2 is a top view of the accordion shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 illustrates diagrammatically the connection of the accordionwith an amplifier control unit and a loud speaker.

The accordion 3 shown in the drawing is of the usual form and includes atreble side provided with the keys I, as well as the base side havingbuttons 2. The casing 20 of the accordion, which is located adjacent thetreble side, constitutes the fixed part of the instrument and isprovided with the usual openings 2|. At least one bank of reeds ismounted on each side of the instrument according to the conventionalpractice.

The movable part 22 of the casing which carried the buttons 2 and whichconstitutes the base side, is connected with the casing 20 by the usualexpandible and contractible portion having the folds 23. The illustratedaccordion may be of any standard make.

In accordance with the present invention, the

casing 20 of the accordion contains an elongated microphone 5 whichextends preferably along practically the entire height of theinstrument. The microphone 5 is preferably located close to the openings2| of the casing 20, and is so arranged that it receives substantiallyuniformly all the sounds produced by the keys I. Another microphone 6which is similar in size and shape to the microphone 5 is located withinthe casing 22 at the base side of the instrument. The microphone I5 isalso so disposed that it receives substantially uniformly all the soundsof the accordion.

The microphones 5 and Ii may be joined by a conducting wire 4, the coilsof which fit in the folds 23, and which may extend when the folds 23 areextended. One end of the wire 4 is connected by a wire I to themicrophone 5, while the other end of the wire 4 is connected by a wire 8to the microphone B.

The microphone 5 is connected with two knobs or control buttons 9 andII] which are carried by the casing 20 and which may be convenientlyused by the player to control the volume and the tone respectively.

The microphone 6 is connected in a similar manner with control buttonsII and I2.

The fixed casing 20 carries a socket 24, which is connected with themicrophone 5 and is adapted to receive a plug I5 shown in Figure 3. Theplug I5 is connected by a conducting wire I4 with an amplifying controlunit I3. This unit is located outside of the accordion and may beconnected by a plug IS with any suitable source of electrical energy.The unit I3 is connected with a loud speaker I! and is provided withcontrol buttons I1 and IB for varying the volume and tone of the soundsemanating from the loud speaker I 9.

It is apparent that the described ampliiyins device makes it possible toincrease the sounds of a comparatively small or weakly operatedinstrument to any desired proportion. The described arrangement makes itpossible to amplify the sound without distorting it in any way. andenables the control of its volume and tone by the player himself or byanother person located close to the amplifier control unit.

It is aparent that the invention shown above has been given by way ofillustration and not by way of limitation, and that the exampledescribed above is subject to wide variations and modifications withoutdeparting from the scope or intent oi the present invention. All of suchvariations and modifications are to be included within the scope oi thepresent invention.

a,sso,ses

What is claimed is:

In an accordion having at least one bank 0! reeds on each side, a pairof elongated microphones substantially correspondlng in length to theheight of the accordion and mounted therein. one in each side thereof,an extensible coiled wire conductor operatively interconnecting saidmicrophone, a volume control unit operatively connected to each saidmicrophone, an amplifier control unit. a loud speaker. a source 01'electrical energy and wire conductors inter-connecting said lmicrophonesand said volume control units with said amplifier control unit, saidloudspeaker and said source oi electrical energy.

DOMINICK ZACCA GNINO.

